University of British Columbia Okanagan - A Rider's Perspective

When applying for university I had a different motivation than the rest of my high school friends. I wanted to ride my bike. Riding had become such a major part of my life I realized university was not only an opportunity to educate myself, but also an opportunity to move to where I could do what I loved most. I knew right away I wanted to leave Ontario and move to British Columbia. At first I didn't even care what part of BC I went to, but looking back, I realize I couldn't have made a better choice or ended up in a better location. I chose to attend UBC Okanagan, and I think anyone else who rides bikes and is planning on going to university should come here too.

The following article was written on behalf of the UBCO Mountain Bike Club with the goal of bringing mountain bikers to UBCO. How are we hoping to do that? The plan is to convince those of you that want to ride your bike and go to university that attending UBCO is the best of both worlds.

UBCO is UBC Vancouver's satellite campus in Kelowna, BC. The school was opened in 2005 and currently has 8300 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs. UBCO have the faculties of Engineering/Applied Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Fine Arts, Management, and Nursing. More information can be found on UBC Okanagan's website: www.ubc.ca/okanagan/

The UBCO Mountain Bike Club was started as a Facebook group 5 years ago by founders John Fisher and Liam Mullany. Even though the club has evolved a lot since then, the club's purpose remains the same: provide a platform for university riders to meet, organize ride days, events, trips, and trail building. The club became an official UBCO club 2 years ago and now receives funding from the university. The club owns its own trail building tools, as well as a Freelap Timing System that we all fight over every weekend.

Ryan Bath showing the trick step-up who is boss. You wouldn't believe how much better he's gotten since he first came here. Photo: Nathan Dobson.

Why choose UBCO? Two reasons: First, Kelowna has an amazing trail network. Any type of riding you want to do is available here; DH, XC, All-Mountain, DJ. The second part is that the UBCO MTB Club provides the other piece of the puzzle needed for amazing rides, which is friends to ride with. The club currently has over 90 Facebook members and ride days take place 2-3 days a week. All active members of the club know each other well and the buddies you ride downhill with are usually the same you'll ride XC, dirt jump, or build with. This is what our newest member had to say about his experience at UBCO:

Even in such a short time, the riding here has made a huge change in me. The camaraderie of the riding club and riding community is incredible in helping intermediate riders improve their skills. Being in BC has opened my eyes to a whole new aspect of building and riding that I never had in Ontario. -Stephan Rayner

Geoff Hodson shredding on campus. Photo: Pat Taillefer.

The other thing that makes UBCO special for riding is the amount of riding available right on campus. The club has built a downhill race track, massive trick step-up, multiple-loop pump track, dirt jumps, and a berm/jump trail all within a 5 minute ride of the university. Although a lot of riding is done off campus, over 50% of the riding happens within a kilometer of the school. The following video made by one of the club's founders, Liam Mullany, shows what some of the sessions are like at our pumptrack.

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Surprisingly, coming to UBCO has allowed me to ride more than ever. With such high quality riding on our doorstep, it makes it possible to sneak in daily rides, even in the thick of exams. Can't beat a study break at the pumptrack! -Josh Toohill

Josh Toohill riding the top section of Legacy. Photo: Nathan Dobson.

Pat McCarter riding Legacy. Photo: Nathan Dobson.

Check out the UBCO promotional video featuring bike club members from 0:38 to 1:14:

95 Comments

We need two lives, the second one would be to catch all the opportunities that we have missed in the first one. Can you please do that for me? And if it is possible, I would like to start my second life in British-Columbia, Canada.

Hey, I'm looking to get an internship in BC next summer, i'm a mechanical engineering student from Québec. Do some of you have any hints about where i can start searching? (yes, it is higly related to my desire of riding my bike in BC.)

We have these in the U.S. as well. I went to University of California Santa Barbara because of their downhill team. Many schools have them and there are some schools that are practically run by their mountain bike team. It would have been cool if Pinkbike had an article about Collegiate Nationals in the U.S. at Angel Fire last month but a school in B.C. is cool too I guess...B.C. needed more advertising, i feel like nobody knows you can ride a bike there.

Guess what guy's I live in BC and all the riding is not like that most of it is as good or better but just in other ways. I live just north of nelson BC and the riding here in the Kootenay's is awesome though i do plan to move to Kelowna to study a UBCO

I'm going to school at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, and we pretty much have this same setup. Our bike team has ben the collegiate national champs for over 10 years now, and we have all sorts of riding on and off campus. It's a pretty sweet place to go if you really want a strong cycling atmosphere, and going there is pretty cheap compared to other places. So if you aren't in Canada and can't go to this school, check out FLC.

The Vancouver campus has the north shore only minutes away and Squamish 40 minutes away! Whistler is only another 40 past Squammy. The riding in Kelowna is good, but I don't think this should make it a clear winner the Vancouver campus is UNBELIEVABLE!! Vancouver is also a much, much nicer place than K town in my opinion. It's worth looking into for sure Mitch.

sorry to burst your bubble if you're from outside of Canada, but we have "international rates" here. It costs twice as much to go to school in Canada if you are from another country. That means tuition alone is probably $15k CAD a year, without living expenses. tbh I wish I went there, but just couldnt afford the expensive living in Western Canada. Anybody from away should look at possible "exchange programs" that allow you to pay regular rates and do half your studies in one country, then half in the next. The school I go to has students from amsterdam that pay the regular rates they would be paying there, and pay the regular Canadian fees when they come here, and vise versa, you guys from Europe/Australia should look into that.

Yeah so for international one year living in BC at UBC university costs about $30 k. After 4 years it add up to a little fortune....You'd better save that money for riding or moving to B.C after getting degree in your country but...later it could be hard to find job with some other country's degree - couldn't it?

15k a year for tuition? pssh over here at UCSD tuition is 35-40k a year not including living, parking permits, and meal expenses. i would gladly pay 15k a year and i am a resident of california out of state pay 15% more and out of country pay 30%

UBC vancouver has no riding within like 30 km.. well i mean you can ride anywhere but nothing thats great, GO to Simon Fraser, it actually is built on a mountain, you ride down the trails, and bus it or bike up... totally free cuz you get transit passes when you go here...and you live on rez, which is at the top of the mountain as well

@bullitproof, you have no idea what you're talking about. You have the iconic Shore right on your doorstep at UBC, join the UBC mtb club and make some friends with a shuttle truck. And SFU is probably the worst riding in the region.

I wouldn't say SFU has the worst riding in the region. I live at the base of the mountain and have plenty of fun just doing bus laps on any saturday. It definitely works for me instead of driving out to North Van. Appreciate what you have.

Well since we are on the subject of colleges... I spent days searching for a good college for mtbn and chose Oregon State University in Corvallis. not much riding local but there is awesome riding everywhere around it. Blackrock freeride park is 40 mins away.

Fuk yeah. That was boss! You cats are throwing backies to ice, while I almost rode over a poisonous Brown snake on my trail here in Adelaide, Australia last night in 36 degree celsius heat. Worldwide baby!

comon its not that bed if u like cross country that is lolol! but ya wish i would of know about this before i enroled at conestoga lol! there r some nice dj spots around so its not all bad i also know a few DH runs down on my end of Kitchener too i make the best of what i got!

Come to Cambridge 40 minutes away via the 401, Right off the exit onto town line road is access to a awesome trail networks on Puslinch lake in Puslinch county, 35km of xc/trail riding with easy sections through a 2 different pine tree forests all the way up to a crazy section with insane climbs/descents we like to call the Dark side. Don't forget the K/W hydro cut as well, Joyride is a short drives away; and for a longer drive head up to Waterdown for some Insane downhill.

Good job guys, Ryan killed it. Amazing article , well done. The scene at this school is awesome, can't wait to check it out this summer and get some riding in. I'm thinking this will be where I want to go to school. Inspired.

Wow! Great article. That is so progressive for a Canadian school... I suppose it just takes the right students to become active and make it happen. Now if only I can have a bunch of money fall on my lap and an excuse to go to University. You're lucky to have this amazing experience!

Great Article; as an Alumni from UBCO I can say there is nowhere better to go to school if you want to ride. Just wanted to add there is also a med school there now, and a department for Human Kinetics (this is the program I graduated from). I am currently doing my Master's in Physical therapy at The University of Alberta and I go through withdrawls from the lack of riding here. Also wanted to add that Silverstar is very close by for great lift access riding, plus great skiing and snowboarding.

I've spent my first year in UBCO, now a third year student in UBC Vancouver.
UBCO definitely brings back good memories, but
If you are into any type of street or trials riding, then you are pretty screwed. The campus security ride around in their golf carts just looking for people to pick on.
Whereas UBC Vancouver campus security just tells me not to hurt myself then moves on.
Just something to consider for people thinking about UBCO

I live in Colorado and recently wanted to go to a school in British Columbia after highschool. After reading this article it's really inspired me to get into a school up north. My life so far has consisted of school homework and biking until I broke my bike and my motivation for everything isn't he same without a bike. Going to school where I have the opportunity to do what I love and benefit from it in so many ways is pretty sick. Im defenitly setting goals into getting into UBCO.

What about exeter uni, theres great dh\enduro tracks minutes away (Stoke woods), you can ride there on your DH rig easily, it's that close! OH it's also just had a multi-million pound refurbishment and Haldon cafeside is just 30 minutes away!

UBCO has a great Human Kinetics department with some amazing profs. I have found that I am just as prepared in Grad School as anybody with a kin degree from any school in Canada. Besides I don't think you can get a bachelors from Okanagan College, just transfer credit for your first two years.

@Damo, id love to go to UBCO for human kinetics but i dont have to courses in highschool to get into university unfortunately. Im stuck in the college stream due to a last minute decision change on what i actually wanted to do so i closed alot of doors for myself

The shore isn't too far away and vanier dirt jump park is also pretty close, and a pretty ride if you feel like pedaling your dirt jumper down there.
I broke my collar bone at vanier the day after I moved in though and haven't ridden a bike since... Hopefully this weekend!
Depending on what program you're enrolled in you wont have much time for bikes anyway. Full course load in engineering only gives you a handful of weekends where you may be able to pull off a ride.

Personally, I second that. I'm In school for biomedical engineering and I have very little time to ride. I still get out, but it's not easy. I guess a lot of it has to do with how you handle your course load. Each person is going to be different.